Book-support for shelves



(No M0del M. W. HARRINGTON. BOOK SUPPORT FOR SHELYES.

' No. 388,674. Patented Aug. 28, 1888.

' mwww w, 1* mm :7 a 'fi wq UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARK W. HARRINGTON, OF ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN.

BOOK-SUPPORT FOR SH ELVES.

EPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 388,674, dated August28, 1888.

Application filed March 30, 1888 Seriai No. 269,605. (No model.)

.To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARK W. HARRINGTON, residing at Ann Harbor,Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBook-Supports for Shelves, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved booksupport for shelves, designed tobe used when the shelf is only partially filled with books, and in orderto maintain the books in an upright position, and the object of myinvention is to provide a support which shall be selfclamping upon theshelf and adapted to shelves of varying thicknesses.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure l isa perspective view showing the support applied to a shelf partiallyfilled with books. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the support detached.Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the support applied to a thinner shelfthan that shown in Fig. 1, designed to illustrate the position which thesupport will assume when applied to such thinner shelves.

In said drawings, A represents the shelves, and B books placed thereon.The support itself is composed of the body portion (3, having the foot0, intended to rest upon the top of the shelf when in use.

D is a downwardly-projecting arm, which connects the body portion 0 withthe longitudinal arm E, which latter extends transversely of the shelfand beneath the same, and provided with the clamping-bar F, which may,as shown, extend longitudinally of the shelf and transversely to the armE. The bearing for the under side of the shelf is beyond thebook-support is rendered self-clamping by so constructing it that thecenter of gravity is at one side of the center of rotation when thesupport is applied to the shelf. Thus in the construction shown thecenter of rotation will be a point intermediate of the point of contactof the bar F and the foot 0, while the center of gravity is in front ofsaid points, thus causing the body portion to fall forward and thepoints a and F to press, respectively, against the upper and lowersurfaces of the shelf. This peculiarity of construction adapts thesupport for use with shelves of varying thickness. The size of theopening to receive the edge of the shelf is determined by the verticaldistance be tween the foot 0 and the bar F, and this opening should belarge enough to admit the thick est shelves in general use, as thesupport will adapt itself to thinner shelves without any change ofconstruction. To enable the support to rock forward when it is appliedto a shelf of less thickness than the vertical distance between the foot0 and the bar F, and thereby clamp itself upon the shelf, the portion ofthe bracket in front of the foot 0 is arched upwardly, so that a clearspace is left between the arm F and said arched portion of the bracket,as clearly shown in the drawings at G. As shown in the drawings, the barF extends to a greater distance on one side of the arm E than the other.As the strain comes from the direction of the row of books, of coursethis long member of the bar F should be on the side next to the books.The purpose of the short arm of the barF is to enable the device tomaintain its upright position upon the shelf should the book next to itbe removed, and also while adjusting the support along the shelf.

I claim-- 1. A book-support for shelves, comprising in combination abody portion to support a book placed against it, a foot on said bodyportion adapted to press upon the upper surface of the shelf in use, anarm projecting from the body portion below said foot to permit theentrance of the edge of the shelf, and said body portion being arched orextended upwardly in front of said foot and above said arm, whereby thesupport may rock forward and is made self-clamping upon the shelf,substantially as described.

2. A book-support for shelves, comprising in combination a body portionto support a l in frontof saidfoot and abovesaid arm, where- IO bookplaced against it, a foot on said body portion adapted to press upon theupper surface of the shelf in use, an arm projecting from the bodyportion below said foot to permit the entrance of the edge of the shelfand beyond said foot, whereby the center of gravity is in front of thecenter of rotation, and said body portion being arched or extendedupwardly by the support may rock forward and is made self-clamping uponthe shelf, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

MARK \V. HARRINGTON.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK O. GooDWIN, E. L. HUBER.

